Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Withdraws Candidacy for October Elections in Pakistan - 2002-08-31

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the ousted Prime Minister of Pakistan, has withdrawn his candidacy for the upcoming October elections. The leader of the Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif, stated today in Islamabad that he has decided to withdraw in protest against unethical, illegal, and unconstitutional actions in Pakistan. Party officials indicated that Nawaz Sharif supports former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who is also a candidate for parliamentary representation in the upcoming elections. Local authorities had opposed Ms. Bhutto's request and her candidacy in the parliamentary elections. The Pakistani government had previously stated that it would attempt to prevent Muhammad Nawaz Sharif from participating in the October parliamentary elections. Election officials in Lahore had initially agreed to Nawaz Sharif's preliminary request to run in the elections, but this agreement needed to be confirmed by the national election commission. General Pervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan, had stated that if Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan to participate in the elections, he would be arrested.